Tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Eastern Atlantic: disjunct distribution between 35°N-27°S and in Agulhas Water pockets (absent over the upwelling region between 17°N-9°N, east of 30°W). Western Atlantic: disjunct distribution between 42°N-10°S. Indian Ocean: between 8°N-0°. Western Central Pacific: Philippines. Considerable differences between Atlantic and Indo-Pacific material suggests that there may be more than one species involved (Ref. 36121).